Child Dragged Through Verizon Store By Leash, Mom Arrested (video)

We all get a little frustrated with our cell phones from time to time, but nothing justifies the abuse of a child. Melissa Catherine Smith-Means of Alabama was arrested after dragging her child through a Verizon Wireless store. The irony is, and I’m stating this without any sound in the video, the child looks pretty content with being dragged by a leash. Video, yes video below.

Christen Costa

Grew up back East, got sick of the cold and headed West. Since I was small I have been pushing buttons - both electronic and human. With an insatiable need for tech I thought "why not start a blog focusing on technology, and use my dislikes and likes to post on gadgets."

If the kid was acting up, he should be grateful that a humiliating dragging is all he got. It’s about time that parents took over and started being the parent in the relationship, and doing something to contain their kids when they behave like out of control brats in public.

I don’t think the leash was around the kids neck. The reports say backpack leash which pretty much means it was around the torso. I think the assumption of being around the neck is because there were marks on the kids neck. Sorry, but there is a BIG difference in being dragged by the body or by the neck. One can literally kill you.

While I totally don’t condone this type of (game) as she called it. The leash wasn’t around the childs neck. I love how people overreact or blow things out of proportion when they see or hear something. That’s a child harness with a leash meant to be used to keep your child with you. However I doubt the manufacturer intended it to be used this way. I have never used one because I am one of those parents that goes through the hell of actually disciplining (ie being a parent) my child in public to let them know what I expect out of them. For them to stay with me and for them to behave and not throw a fit. Does this always work.. hell no. When my daughter and son were little I had to make a choice on a regular basis whether to ditch the child in the wheelchair to chase the toddler. Which way do I go? And Yes I facilitated buggies and strollers.. but can you imagine trying to push a wheelchair/stroller or wheelchair/buggy through a store.. looked like a stinking train. And I’m forced to put them in a buggy or pick them up flailing and screaming and walk calmly out of the store without having done what I needed to. I will agree with the statement I have seen on many sites about this video that your darned if you do and darned if you don’t. Trying to discipline my child in public usually gets lots of attention even if I’m doing it perfectly. Someone is always going to think I should spank when I’m talking or talk when I’m spanking. I have a 19 year old son and a 23 year old daughter in a wheelchair and a toddler 3 years old btw. I’m over 40 so I’m not a newbie parent. Children can drive you insane.. however this wasn’t a way to deal with it.

My 7 year old is severly autistic and compulsive. I have to have him on a leash or else he’d run off from me or pull everything off the shelves. The leash is the only way I can shop and keep my son safe. I do get funny looks because he “appears” to old to need a leash. He also “looks” normal. I get tired of explaining myself to people wgo give me strange looks. He also loves to lie down in the middle of the floor. He’s too heavy and strong to pick up, so he does occasionally gets dragged and he thinks its funny.